Kitchen #2: Joey's Off-The-Shelf Modern

Name: Joey (Carla's Joey :))Location: Just north of Boston, in the former Charleston Chew Candybar Factory

Pitch:My kitchen is great because it maximizes the vertical space I have, and will let me have my own cooking show for my friends/family (top left pic is a computer design - the dream - right is reality).

We Bostonians face a lot of the same issues New Yorkers face. One big issue is that not a single contractor knows anything about modern design. I've had to fight to get mouldlings removed, countertops cut, backsplashes torn off, non-paneled doors, etc.

That said, here's my almost-finished kitchen. The appliances are all stainless steel. The countertops are Caesarstone Quartz Concrete, and the cabinets are actually a high-gloss finish. The dishwasher will be covered by the same panel that is on the doors/drawers, so it will be hidden.

3 Compelling kitchen cooking/design tips:1. Keep it simple. 2. My kitchen is a good example of what you can do with off-the-shelf, stock cabinetry. Nothing was done custom, yet it still has a custom look to it, and using simple materials give a sense of expanse. The kitchen itself is just 10' wide.

Favorite Kitchen StoresSur La Table and the old standby, Williams-Sonoma. Both stores have the best customer service policies I've ever experienced.